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Author Topic: Please Welcome Blaster Core v5  (Read 27237 times)

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Offline erv

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Please Welcome Blaster Core v5
« on: June 20, 2016, 12:38:25 AM »
Well, at that time of posting, the first batch is already sold, the high demand took over a pre-announcement post like I used to do.

However, here we are, I've finally finished it. I apologize about the wait, the demand is overwhelming whatever it is (saber, blaster, props). More boards will be made during the summer for thos who couldn't get one. I'm going to phase it in to TCSS too asap along with the pico crumble (working on this this week)



Blaster Core V5:

- same size as the previous versions
- added secondary trigger and font switching (not implemented yet, to be used on custom version of the firmware for specific props)
- added (optional) background hum allowing the blaster to "buzz" a bit in the background. If you want to use the hum, you need to mix the sound fx just like a saber sound font
- larger ammo counter (16 bits)
- same font menu as the CF + audio skinning. Menu is mixed in real time, font description (font.wav) relocated in each sound bank, just like the saber boards.
- up to 6 sound banks, no need to have all them on the card, dynamically found by the menu
- up to 16 blaster sounds (you need at least the same amount as the range sounds if you used the "ranged" sound selection method)
- up to 16 full auto sounds (number must match the number of blaster sounds)
- improved full auto with dedicated sound slots played in loop, and trigger release sound for end of fire.
- ray progression animation synched with full auto
- trigger polarity (normally open / normally closed) just like it was done on the clip detection
- an override file to better organize the settings
- PLI on bargraph. When no screen is used, you can use the MENU pin to activate the PLI on the accent bargraph. Pressing on the MENU switch plays the PLI on sound, which ramps up to the current energy level (blinks the max). Releasing the switch plays the PLI off sound. This allows to keep the bargraph multimodal.


Why (still) 6 sound banks and not the expected 12 ?

I kept the bargraph display system to display many information during the blaster use, including the font selection. With 6 LEDs, and though I could use more visual coding, I decided to stay with 6 sound fonts. I also believe it's already a fair amount of fonts to play with.


full auto mode(s):
if the full auto sounds are found, firing in full-auto will randomly select a full-auto sound and will play it in loop for a proper fx. When releasing the trigger, a final shot is fired using the corresponding single shot sound. For example, full auto sound 5 ends, blaster5.wav is played.
If the full auto slots aren't populated, it works like in blaster core 4, a loop point is created on the blaster sound (less realistic)


User's manual will follow soon but for now you can use the BC v4 manual, wiring is really similar.

Offline Scorpion

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Re: Please Welcome Blaster Core v5
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2016, 01:11:43 AM »
Awesome will grab one of these soon as there ready

So will I need a custom firmware if I plan to use it in my pulse rifle? As I need 2 triggers

And where do you wire the 2nd trigger?
« Last Edit: June 20, 2016, 02:02:50 AM by Scorpion »


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Offline EXAR KUN

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Re: Please Welcome Blaster Core v5
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2016, 08:59:33 AM »
I love it! I've yet to use my BC4, but I have plans for it I think are going to be awesome. I have an idea for a blaster like Jango's, but more solid that I'd like to use a BC5 in. Very cool!

Offline TrypWyr

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Re: Please Welcome Blaster Core v5
« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2016, 08:38:30 AM »
Hey Erv! Out of curiosity, any plans down the road to make a smaller (less options, not physical size necessarily) version of the BC, maybe like a "Nano Biscotte of Blaster Cores"?

Offline erv

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Re: Please Welcome Blaster Core v5
« Reply #4 on: July 13, 2016, 12:39:07 AM »
yes, pico blaster core is sort of finished (PCB). Need to order protos

Offline TrypWyr

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Re: Please Welcome Blaster Core v5
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2016, 01:28:13 PM »
yes, pico blaster core is sort of finished (PCB). Need to order protos

Haha, Erv, I swear you are clairvoyant. You always know what the community wants before even we do!  :cheesy:

Can't wait to see this new board... My twin Star-Lord blasters are waiting patiently!

Offline jacobpac

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Re: Please Welcome Blaster Core v5
« Reply #6 on: July 14, 2016, 09:33:39 PM »
Hello, Im new to this community.  Im looking for the blaster core V5.  Any idea when it will be restocked?

Offline CHEWBACCA

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Re: Please Welcome Blaster Core v5
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2016, 08:16:37 AM »
if you are in the US TCSS should have them in stock in a few weeks.


Offline Machinimax

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Re: Please Welcome Blaster Core v5
« Reply #8 on: August 26, 2016, 07:03:05 PM »
So any new updates on the v5 or Pico Blaster? :)



Welcome to saber building. You've taken your first step into a larger world!

"Don't get the idea that your [lightsaber] is a quick little project to be slapped together." - Luke Skywalker

Offline CHEWBACCA

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Re: Please Welcome Blaster Core v5
« Reply #9 on: August 27, 2016, 08:43:53 AM »
I am working on a small batch for TCSS this weekend.



Offline erv

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Re: Please Welcome Blaster Core v5
« Reply #10 on: August 29, 2016, 01:15:34 AM »
a jointed effort with myself, evolution arms and vader's vault for finalizing Pico Blaster is in progress. I'm back from vacations after 15 days tiling and building a fence (among other things) and I'm trying to come back to the  normal dev routine but bear with me  :azn:

Offline Xrad

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Re: Please Welcome Blaster Core v5
« Reply #11 on: December 16, 2016, 07:58:06 PM »
Hello Erv,  Thank you for your excellent V.5 Blaster board. Bought one the other day from TCSS.  Everything works fine and has stable function down to below 5v.  I also installed a serial GFX LCD ( 1.44" (uLCD-144-G2 GFX) SparkFun). It powers up fine. I know that the V5 core does not come with LCD screen, but I really want the GFX effect for my project rather than programming a whole seperate SPI interface using add on shield/nano or the like.  I like your GFX programs the way they are.

I already wrote/modified a program for some really cool neopixel effects via a trinket which will run on the blaster side when triggered by your board. The neopixels will act like a visual power reserve which get recharged with a phased scanner and discharged with full random RGB lightning flashes.  Also, my blaster will have IR vision flip out monitor and dual wide beam green lasers and a real G21 removable clip. All of this is centered around your V5 core.

So, I used HxD to clear sector 0 of LCD SD and added in the GFX code from your website per old instructions. And I added the different V4 style text folders to the corresponding banks 1-6 of V5. Currently, the Display Menu momentary switch does activate the GFX sound, but not the GFX screen.   I really could use some guidance to get the code changed so that it activates the GFX.  Config file update? 

Any help appreciated! Thank you

Offline erv

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Re: Please Welcome Blaster Core v5
« Reply #12 on: December 16, 2016, 10:15:05 PM »
the new API for BC5 isn't ready, so you won't get any screen working with the current BC5 "regular" firmware. Also, it's meant to work with a specific screen which isn't this one.
I've been working on the new API as well as the pico blaster core in parallel (received new PCBs two days ago) and hopefully, I'll have the screen back to a working stage (again) soon.

Offline Xrad

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Re: Please Welcome Blaster Core v5
« Reply #13 on: December 17, 2016, 06:43:27 AM »
Thanks for FAST reply!

Offline Xrad

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Re: Please Welcome Blaster Core v5
« Reply #14 on: December 17, 2016, 08:53:02 AM »
You may want to look at the 4D Systems IDE. Free IDE and very user friendly....and 4D has many different GFX boards programming modules to choose from..but they are not necessarily the cheapest ... 

4D Systems | 4D-Workshop-4-IDE


 

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